Pumpkin Investigation

You could feel the excitement in the air!

Grade Ones LOVE their Grade Three buddies!

Today the two classes were able to spend time together to  learn 

a little bit more about pumpkins.

Surprise!  Heavy pumpkins float!  Do you know why?

The students learned that there are many ways to measure

a pumpkin.  One of the ways is to find out how heavy the

pumpkin is.  The students used balance scales and little toy bears

to find out if their predictions were correct.

The students learned that it is alright not to be correct when you predict.

The students looked at three ribbons, a short white ribbon, a

medium green ribbon and a longer red ribbon.  They

thought about which ribbon would be the best to choose

to find out how large the pumpkin was around.

Back in our regular classroom we had read some books about the

stages of a pumpkin, known as the life cycle.

The Grade One students had painted a paper plate orange, and

used it to be the backdrop for pasting small flip cards for the

six steps in the pumpkin life cycle.

There was a lot of co-operation needed as the life cycle needed

to be coloured, cut out and pasted in the correct sequence.

Using a finger, the students added pumpkins to a vine, to

create a counting book.

The students were busy, busy, busy!

These moments of watching the older help the littles are magical!

Turkeys all around

In this week's Take Home folder, is the collaborative books that

the students made for each child who presented their poster and

ME bag since September.  I so enjoyed being able to chose a

drawing that matched the actual child.  Thanks to Lori Kaus for

sharing her original idea with me.

In mathematics, our focus is on patterns.  They happen all around us!

Here are some words from our curriculum:

Students must learn to recognize, extend, create and use mathematical patterns. Patterns allow students to make predictions and justify their reasoning when solving routine and nonroutine problems.
Learning to work with patterns in the early grades helps students develop algebraic thinking, which is foundational for working with more abstract mathematics in higher grades.

Specifically in Grade One, the students are to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns (two to four elements) by:• describing
   • reproducing• extending• creating
   patterns using manipulatives, diagrams, sounds and actions

I've included a variety of examples.

The criteria was to chose a pattern, create it and then extend it so that

it repeats three times, and label it.

In the scarecrow's garden, there was to be three different patterns.

The criteria gives the students the 'what to do.'

It also sets the manner in which the work is assessed.

When the work of the student is looked at,

 you begin to get an understanding to whether or

not the student understand the different aspects of

patterning.

This assists the teacher in knowing whether more practise 

is needed, and what should be the next steps in teaching.

This was Read In Week, and the students had a number 

of visitors come and visit and read to them.  

From the local library, they heard that they can

get their own library card.  How exciting!

This is Mrs. Szott, one of our district trustees, who

shared her love of reading with my class.

Aren't these little Thankful Turkey books the cutest?

Ashlyn Ellsworth was so kind to share her idea with me.

The students were working on recognizing what they

were thankful for within different aspects of their life.

Here is another pattern that the students worked on,

this time learning a little bit of geometry as well.

They were given squares of paper and found out that

two triangles are hidden inside of the square!

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving at our school, without the Turkey Tango.

Our special, gifted music teacher gathered all the turkeys she could find...

and they gobbled into the main gathering area to sing

and dance!

It's just a few seconds long but enjoy the ending of the dance...cha! cha! cha!

Fall is in the air!

The students worked on finishing up their multi medium art

projects that were started with the painting of the background.

They were able to add a photo of themselves with their hands

high above their head.  In this scene, it looks like they are

throwing up the beautiful Autumn leaves into the air.

The leaves were made using their pincer grips to tear tiny pieces of

construction paper.  They turned out lovely and are proudly hung

in the hall for their friends to see.

They were very focused,

and really wanted to take them home.  They will be saved for

their scrapbooks.  By the by, I have 16 scrapbooks.  Did you remember

to send one in for your child?

Friday was also the first of the four Yoga lessons

that are part of the extracurricular activities that our

class will be taking part in.

Miss Teagan led the students through a number of poses.

encouraging the students to breathe

and try to enjoy the various ways their bodies were being stretched.

They were so 'into' the experience!

Here's the 'turtle' pose,

and the 'tree' pose

and the 'cobra' or 'snake' pose.